Teaching, Can Anyone Do It?

[Donz]

Im abit of a bludger and lazy.

If i want to do he course to become a teacher will it be hard??

do you need to study alot??

[mbkudu]

Im abit of a bludger and lazy.

If i want to do he course to become a teacher will it be hard??

do you need to study alot??

Do one of the many online courses that are easy and cheap and you get to learn nothing about actual teaching from them. If you're in a hurry, don't have much money, don't want to put out much effort and just want a piece of paper that says your qualified, then it's an excellent way to do it. If you actually want to learn solid fundamentals for teaching, have 55,000 Thai baht, and want a piece of paper that means something to employers, then you could take the CELTA, but then you'd have to work hard for it.

Maybe you could just go ahead and teach without anything. Lots of people do it. Up to you.

Edited March 9, 2006 by mbkudu

[kenkannif]

Yes, like most things in life the more you put in the more you'll get out of it.

[Donz]

Thanks.

Do i need to be able to speak Thai pretty well to teach in thailand??

At the moment i can only say about 5 worlds.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Thanks.

Do i need to be able to speak Thai pretty well to teach in thailand??

At the moment i can only say about 5 worlds.

There are 2 schools of thought here:

Yes, it can be helpful to speak Thai. It is useful with younger learners and any beginner level.

No, it can be helpful to speak no Thai. It encourages the learners to only use English, and in time can really help to improve their English.

I've worked at schools where I have been encouraged to speak Thai, and you could see the benefits - and I've worked at other schools where you fail students for speaking Thai in the classroom and there are benefits there too.

I think I prefer no Thai in the classroom though - it ultimately leads to a loss of control (IMHO) by the native teacher...

Edited March 9, 2006 by The Dan Sai Kid

[PeaceBlondie]

Some of the TEFL courses encourage a method where you speak none of the L1 language of the students, even if you know that Titiporn just said to Duannapha, "That teacher has bad breath but maybe he has a big ****." Some schools have a rule forbidding your use of Thai in the classroom. A good compromise would be if you knew enough Thai to enforce discipline, and to begin the first few weeks with a class of beginners, and the school would permit that (but no dialogues in Thai).

[kenkannif]

What I generally say with speaking Thai and teaching is:

It helps if you can, but it's not biggie if you can't.

Shouldn't really speak Thai in the classroom (minimally if at all), although as PB says for discipline it can help if they KNOW you can speak Thai.

[up-country_sinclair]

i don't teach children and can only speculate.....but i don't think i'd use thai in the classroom. as stated by tdsk it could result in a perceived loss of control, and may end up causing more trouble than it's worth.

i'd also like to think that a stern look and effectively meted out punishments for troublemakers would solve most discipline problems.....but as i said, i don't teach kids. am i living in a fantasy world?

[kenkannif]

Not really...but TiT so often there's no real right or wrong answer....what works for some might not work for others and all that!

[mbkudu]

Thanks.

Do i need to be able to speak Thai pretty well to teach in thailand??

At the moment i can only say about 5 worlds.

Nice topic diversion by the OP, Khun Donz. Should become a politician, not a teacher.

LOS is an excellent springboard to learn all about politricks.

[Donz]

Thanks.

Do i need to be able to speak Thai pretty well to teach in thailand??

At the moment i can only say about 5 worlds.

Nice topic diversion by the OP, Khun Donz. Should become a politician, not a teacher.

LOS is an excellent springboard to learn all about politricks.

Whats an OP, i think i would be a great politician, then i wont have to do anything and get paid for it

[malw71]

Im abit of a bludger and lazy.

If i want to do he course to become a teacher will it be hard??

do you need to study alot??

I have heard that teaching is a doddle and that a monkey could do it which is why all the low rent scumbags who come to Thailand end up doing it.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Im abit of a bludger and lazy.

If i want to do he course to become a teacher will it be hard??

do you need to study alot??

I have heard that teaching is a doddle and that a monkey could do it which is why all the low rent scumbags who come to Thailand end up doing it.

Can I presume that's what you do then?

[Ijustwannateach]

Sigh... it was only a matter of time.

[frodo]

(Donz @ 2006-03-09 07:24:06)

Im abit of a bludger and lazy.

If i want to do he course to become a teacher will it be hard??

do you need to study alot??

(malw7 @ 2006-03-10 12:57:00) I have heard that teaching is a doddle and that a monkey could do it which is why all the low rent scumbags who come to Thailand end up doing it.

Another who believes everything he hears. Instead of assuming that everything you hear or read must be true, why don't you instead actually visit a classroom sometime. Until then, your opinion is nothing of value and is highly laughable.

[kenkannif]

Yeah teaching badly is indeed a doddle.

Teaching effectively is actually quite hard.

[PeaceBlondie]

Apparently donz's initial post and his response resembled a troll trying to start up silly comments in a teacher's forum where we enjoy sanuk, but most of us also think there's a lot more to teaching than donz, who admits to being a lazy bludger.

Would anyone object to this thread being closed soon?

[Donz]

Im no troll,

I have a general interest in becoming a teacher (if plans dont work out) as something to fall on if my business im planing fails. And im being honest in saying im not really much of a book worm and find it hard to study at times.

I want to know what the courses you have to do is like to see if i should even bother.

Plus im sure there are plenty of people in my situation that are not sure about teaching because of the same reasons.

[Ijustwannateach]

Yes, please close it.

[frodo]

Im no troll,

I have a general interest in becoming a teacher (if plans dont work out) as something to fall on if my business im planing fails. And im being honest in saying im not really much of a book worm and find it hard to study at times.

I want to know what the courses you have to do is like to see if i should even bother.

Plus im sure there are plenty of people in my situation that are not sure about teaching because of the same reasons.

I'm sure you're not a troll. I have seen other posts on the forum made by you. To be honest, as a teacher, you can't be lazy and you will have to study throughout the rest of this career. Sure, it might seem easy on the outside, but that's the beauty of any type of work. No matter how difficult or challenging it might be, the result or the way it appears to others will look "easy."

Consider what you'll need to do. Lesson plans and development of these plans is the first thing to consider. This can be rather tedious work and a lot of thought, strategy and methodology, to name a few, are needed. Trust me, you don't just walk into a classroom to teach conversation and begin conversing. It's not that simple. To be an effective teacher, you will have to read a lot of various materials, be willing to employ different techniques, have an ability to listen, understand, and to provide and receive feedback and to be able to adjust a lesson that is ready to fall flat from the moment you begin. It's not that simple.

I teach science in an EP school. Science is great! The kids love it, they are able to not only understand, but are able to apply what they've learned. Getting there, at least from my perspective, is not always easy. Sure, my contact hours are only 15 hours per week, but the development and creating of the lesson and the approach used can be grueling at times. To say it is a 40-hour work week is an underestimate. It's more like 60+ hours per week! Lab preparation, getting the materials (these are Thai schools) to do a lab is sometimes very difficult. Obtaining extra resources, reading up on what you will be presenting and to be able to deliver that everyday is a lot of work and trust me, the moment you slack off, you're a dead duck. The students will be able to see right through you. "Teacher very unprepaid again." You'll be gone in no time at all.

Years ago when I was actively involved in an orchestra, a conductor once told me that to stand in front of musicians and wave your arms around does not make one a conductor. But, to bring forth music as it has never been heard before, to create an atmosphere that is breathtaking to your audience, and to understand the mind and soul of the composer himself is being a conductor. I have never forgotten those words, for they also fit the bill here.

If you are serious about teaching, I would highly rethink about what your priorities will be. Yes, you will have to read. Yes, you will have to prepare a lot of material and even have a backup or two in an emergency situation (and they do happen a lot). No, you can't be lazy.

I'm not trying to discourage you, but in some ways trying to encourage you.

FR

[PeaceBlondie]

I think donz has gotten enough specific answers to his general questions. Donz, if you would care to persue your inquiries, look at the threads in this Teaching forum, and try to come back with more specific questions such as "Are there good opportunties at remote provincial schools a half an hour ride by sontaew outside of Pitshanalouk?"

Closed, as the issues donz raised have been covered in other threads.